No extra funding for Ipswich Community Justice Group: Bleijie

THE Ipswich Community Justice Group has been praised as one of the best in Queensland by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie.

OUTCOMES IMPRESS: Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie visits the Ipswich Community Justice Group. Picture: David Nielsen

THE Ipswich Community Justice Group has been praised as one of the best in Queensland by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie.

But that doesn't mean they can count on any extra funding.

Mr Bleijie visited the Limestone St Community Justice Group yesterday where he praised its work.

He said the Ipswich group was one of the best such organisations in the state.

"You're probably one of the stand out community justice groups in Queensland," he said.

"With you it's not just about how many meetings you have, it's about outcomes. You're getting terrific outcomes."

Despite the praise Mr Bleijie said he couldn't assist the group beyond the $92,000 of State Government funding.

However, he promised to work with the group and attempt to help fund future projects.

"There's no sort of pot of gold," he said. "I do love what you're doing. You're definitely on the radar."

Staff members of the Community Justice Group said they received vital funding from the government as well as from businesses in the community.

The justice group members told Mr Bleijie every dollar of government support went into assisting the Ipswich community.

The meeting with the group was attended by Ipswich MP Ian Berry and mayor Paul Pisasale as well as representatives of the justice group and Ipswich police.

Mr Bleijie praised the work the group did with juvenile offenders to assist them in moving away from re-offending.

He said crime prevention was at the forefront of the State Government's concerns regarding juvenile justice and sentencing.

"We want to ensure that we move juvenile offenders away from re-offending," he said.

"But at the same time we've made changes in juvenile facilities to make sure kids who are sent there don't enjoy it. We don't want them wanting to go back and we made a number of changes to make sure that was the case."

Ipswich MP Ian Berry said the group moving away from concentrating on helping Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander members of the community, to helping people of all backgrounds was a move towards helping more people with the legal process.

"It's a move that will help build an inclusive community in Ipswich," he said.

Originally published as No extra funding for Ipswich Community Justice Group: Bleijie